Metal wheels



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. G. J. ZIMMERMANN.

ART OF MAKING- METAL WHEELS.

No. 392252. I Patented Nov. 6, 1888.

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G. J. ZIMMERMANN.

ART OF MAKING METAL WHEELS. No. 392,252. Patent-ed Nov. 6, 1888.

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G. J. ZIMMERMANN.

ARTOP MAKING METAL WHEELS.

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GEORGE J. ZIMMERMANN, OF LA FORTE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO lHE NILES 85 SCOTT COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ART OF MAKING METAL WHEELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,252, dated November 6, 1888.

Application filed August 20, 1888. Serial No. 283,276. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE J. ZIMMERMANN, a citizen of the United States, residing at La Porte, in the county of La Porte and State of Indiana, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Art of Making Metal Wheels, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the manufacture of metal wheels wherein the spokes, consisting of metal rods, are clamped and held between the parts of the hub.

Wheels of the class I refer to are illustrated A in the accompanying drawings. In wheels of this class the inner ends of the spokes are made to abut against the peripheral surface of the inner or box portion of the hub, which thus serves to withstand the end-thrust'of the spokes. In the practical construction of these wheels where the ends of the spokes bear or abut against the inner part of the hub it is of the greatest importance that each and all of the spokes be of precisely the same length and made to fit or abut snugly against this inner box part of the hub, as otherwise the wheel will not be properly braced and rigidly sustained by the spokes. In wheels of this kind theinner ends of the spokes are cut or notched, so that when clamped between the box and shell of the hub or between the shell and nut of the hub the spokes will be held against strains tending to pull them out of the hub. In order that each and every spoke of the rank or series shall be properly clamped between the two opposing parts of the hub,'it is necessary that the holding notches or tenons in each and all of the spokes be cut precisely alike in the same corresponding place and to the same depth, as otherwise some of the spokes will be clamped and held rigid, while others will be more or less loose and tend to rattle and not properly brace and strengthen the wheel.

The object of my invention is to provide a cheap, simple, and expeditious method of making such wheels and at the same time so cut and notch the spokes as that they shall all be of the precise length required to abut snugly against the inner or box part of the hub, and

.. to insure the equal and rigid clamping of each To this end my invention consists in, first,inserting all the spokes of each rank in place in the tire and shell of the hub and riveting the outer ends of the spokes to the tire; second,

cutting off the inner ends of all the spokes on a true circle around the axis of the wheel corresponding to the outer periphery of the inner box part of the hub against which the spokes are to abut, and, third or simultaneously with the second step, cutting notches to an even depth on the side of all the spokes in a true circle about the axis of the wheel.

In practicing my invention after the spokes are all riveted in the tire or rim of the wheel and their inner ends inserted through their 6 holes in the shell of the hub the same are placed on a drill-press, the axis of the wheel being accurately centered with the axis of the revolving cutting tool or drill, and then the revolving cutter is forced down and made to out and ream off the ends of the spokes on a true circle corresponding to the periphery of the box portion of the hub. The same cutting-tool is provided with a depending cuttingflange, which serves at the same time to cntthe 7 holding notch or tenon in the outer face of every spoke, the notches cut in all the spokes together constituting in a manner an annular groove. By this means each and every spoke is given a true fit and bearing both at its ends and'sides against the parts of the hub, and a very strong and rigid wheel may be produced, and the work may be done rapidly and cheaply.

To enable others to more readily and clearly understand my improved process and to prac- 8 5 tice the same, I will now proceed to describe, in connection with the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, the machine, tools, or apparatus which I use or prefer to use in practicing my process. 0

In said drawings similar letters of reference indicate like parts in all the figures.

' Figure 1 is a plan view, the cover plate being partially broken away. Fig. 2 is a side elevation partly in section. Fig. 3 is a face view 5 of the shell part of the wheel, showing the spokes in place after being out and notched. Fig. 4 is a sectional view of the wheel. Fig. 5 is a detail end view of one of the radial clamps for the wheel. Fig. 6 is a section on n00 line 6 6 of Fig. 2. Fig. 7 is an enlarged elevation of the cutting-tool. Fig. Sis a sectional view of the same. Fig. 9 is a crosssection on line 9 t) of Fig. 7, and Figs. 10 and ll. show a modified construction of the tool.

In said drawings, A represents thetire or rim of the metal wheel; 13, its spokes, consisting of plain metal rods furnished with shoulders b at their outer ends and securelyriveted to the tire A. The inner ends of the spokes are inserted through suitable holes, 0, in the shell portion 0 of the hub. The inner ends of the spokes l3 abut against the peripheral surface of the rim or box part 1) of the hub. The inner ends of the spokes B are furnished with notches b, so that the same may be clamped and held against pulling-out strains between the interior shoulders, c, of the shell 0 and the exterior shoulders, (I f, of the box I) and nut F, as is clearly shown in Fig. 4. As shown in the drawings, the spokes are arranged in two ranks in the ordinary manner. The wheel may, however, of course be of a single rank instead of a double-rank construction.

G represents the table or bed of an ordinary drill-press, and H its revolving spindle, earrying the spoke cutting and notching tool ]l h.

As shown in the drawings, the wheel is provided with ten spokes, five in each rank. All the five spokes ot'each rank are simultaneously cut and notched by the revolving tool 1[ and h.

The table G is furnished with radially-sliding wheel clamps or chucks K,preferably one in number for each of the spokes operated upon. These clamps K are mounted to slide on suitable guides, K, and are operated or adjusted by screws 7;,journalcd on the guides K. Each of the screws k is furnished with a bevelgear, k, which meshes with a horizontally-revolving bevel-gear, 7;", thus gearing all the screws together, so that the turning of one of them by the crank 7.5 will simultaneously operate them all.

The bed-plate G is further furnished with a bottom block or anvil, G, having interior screw-threads, into which the adjustable support 9 for the hub of the wheel to rest upon screws. The wheel or hub support 1 may thus be raised or lowered to fit the different lengths of hub. Above the adjustable hub-support g is a circular cap-plate, l having a central hole for the hub to project through. This capplate serves to cover the gears by which the radially-slidin g clamps or dogs K are operated. Each of the radiallysliding clamps or dogs K is adjustabl y secured upon the threaded block K", in which the screws are threaded, so that each clamp or dog may be independently adjusted to the true circle of the wheel. The dog or clamp K is secured to the block K by threaded bolts is, which pass through slots in the clamp K. Each clamp has a vertical shoulder, 79, which bears against the periphery of the tire as well as the horizontal ledge upon which the tire rests.

After the spokes have been riveted in the tire and inserted in place through the shell 0 the same is placed on the clamps or dogs K, and then by turning the crank all the dogs or clamps K are brought simultaneously up against the tire, so as to clamp the wheel in a true circle about the axis of the spindle II asa center. As indicated in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the radial guides K are arranged equidistant apart and the wheel is so placed on the dogs or clamps K that each one of the live spokes operated upon coincides with the radial guides K, so that each of the five clamps K will hear directly against the ends of the spokes operated upon by the tool ll 7!. The next step in the operation is to bring the revolving reamer or tool 11 it down against the spokes, when the portion ll of the tool will ream or cut oti' the ends of the spokes all on a true circle, as indicated in Fig. 3, so that their ends will all bear snugly against the outer periphery of the inner or box portion, C, of the hub. At the same time the outer depending cutting-flange, h, of the revolving tool will form the notches b in the side of each and all the spokes in a true circle and of precisely the same depth, so that the shoulder d orf will fit snugly against each and all the spokes.

As shown in Figs. 7, S, and J, the cuttingilange h of the tool which forms the notches b in the spokes consists of independent and separately removable or adjustable knives h, each held in suitable sockets on the tool-head by a clamp-ring, it.

As shown in Figs. 7, S, and 9, the shank of the rcamcr-tool I1 is furnished with a shoulder, h", and the individual cutters h are furnished with shoulders 71.", which fit against the shoulders h". The upper ends of the individual knives h are provided with screw-threads h to iit the screw-threads of the holder-ring h The sockets in which the knives h fit are formed by segments h, which are held in place by the clamp-ring l1 and the screw-threaded holder-ring h.

As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, the cuttingtlange h consists simply of a serrated sleeve or annular reamer secured to the shank portion of the reamer ill. The preferable construction of the tool is that before described, and indicated in Figs. 7, S, and t).

The cutting-edge of the tool h,whcthcr the same consists of separate knives or of one notched rim or sleeve, may, of course, be given any desired shape corresponding to the form of notch I; which it is desired to make in the side of the spokes B.

As the spokes are all securely riveted to the tire before the cutting and notching operation takes place, and as the wheel is also forced to a true circle by the radial clamps K prior to the cutting operation, it is obvious that when the spokes are thus cut and notched by my process: each and all will accurately and truly fit the parts of the hub C, D, and F.

The riveting of the spokes to the tire prior to the cutting and notehing operation is an important and essential feature of my process,

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because otherwise, however accurately the spokes might be cut to the same length, the subsequent riveting operation would destroy the accuracy and uniformity of fit.

I claim 1. The improvement in the art or process of making metal wheels wherein the ends of the metal spokes have holding notches or tenons cut therein to be clamped between the opposing parts of the hub, consisting in first riveting the spokes in the tire and then simultaneously cutting such holding notches or tenons on the ends of the spokes on atrue circle about the axis of the wheel, substantially as specified.

2. The improvement in the art or process of making metal wheels, consistingin first rigidly securing the spokes to the tire and then simultaneously cutting off the ends of all the.

spokes of each rank on a true circle about the axis of the wheel and cutting holding notches or tenons on one side of the spokes' in a circle about the axis of the wheel, substantially as specified.

3. The improvement in the art or process of making metal wheels, consisting in, first, inserting the spokes through the ti re and shell of the hub and riveting them to the tire; second, clamping the wheel in a drill-press with its axis coincident wit-h the axis of the revolving cuttingtool of the press, and, third, cutting off the ends of all the spokes of each rank simultaneously 011 a true circle about the axis of the wheel by a revolving tool, substantially as specified.

4. The improvement in the art or process of making metal wheels, consisting in,first,insorting the spokes through the tire and shell of the hub and riveting them to the tire; second, clamping the wheel in a drill-press with its axis coincident with the axis of the revolving cutting-tool of the press; third, cutting off the ends of the spokes simultaneously on a true circle about the axis of the revolving tool, and, fourth, simultaneously with said cutting operation cutting holding notches or tenons on the sides of the spokes by a revolving notching-tool whose axis is coincident with the axis of the wheel, substantially as specified.

GEORGE J. ZIMMERMANN.

Vitnesses:

E. H. SCOTT, I GEo. S. SEYMOUR. 

